Page 10 of War Of Fire and Fortune
His thumbs caressed the wet trails on my cheeks, and for a fleeting moment, the warmth of his touch calmed me. He leaned in, placing his forehead against mine. I wanted to back away, to be angry at him, but I was rooted by his touch.
"Wynsoara . . .Ace agreed to stay, just for a little while longer, until we can figure out what Valos's plans are." His breath fanned over my face, mingling with my own. "I promise you I will keep him alive," he murmured, so close now that I could feel the vibration of his voice against my skin. "Please, I just need a little more time. I promise I'll bring him back." His arms enveloped me then and my knees buckled, my resistance crumbling. I cried into the coarse fabric of his tunic. I should blast him off a mountain, but I also wanted him to hold me. Ididn't want Ace to stay there. I wanted him now. But he had agreed to stay.
What the fuck could I do?
The images of what Valla might do haunted me—her cruelty knew no bounds. She would push him to the edge of life and death for her twisted pleasure. Or worse, deem him expendable. Valos didn't need him. They wanted me.
My heart ached at the thought, at the possibility of losing Ace. I couldn't bear it.
“I will do everything in my power, Emelyn. You have my word. I will keep him alive,” Crow reassured me over and over again. “Now please,wynsoara, eat something and get some rest. I need to meet with Atreya. I will find you soon.”
Reluctantly, I nodded, knowing that in this war-torn world, we each had roles to play. Crow gently unwound his arms from around me, and I felt the cold return, a stark reminder of the void Ace’s absence had left behind. I watched Crow turn and stride toward Atreya's war tent.
With a muted sniffle, I rubbed at the wet streaks on my cheeks as I watched Crow's retreating back.
Chapter Four
Kade
It took every fiber of my being to let her go so I could talk to Atreya. After we spoke, she advised me that I should get back quickly and not linger. And I did, simply for the fact that if I had gone back to Emelyn, I wouldn’t have left her. I Hollowed through the shadows, the darkness clinging to me like a second skin. As I walked through them, they shed away for my princely mask.
I was within the cold walls of the palace. It was late, the moon hanging heavy in the sky, casting slivers of light through the narrow windows of the dungeon.
The stench of blood and despair hit me first as I approached the cell where Valla kept Ace. The sight that greeted me when I opened the door was vile enough to churn my stomach.
Ace hung limply from his chains, his body painted with fresh wounds and dried crimson.
"Fuck.”
The wounds I had tended before I’d left wept across his torso. My gaze fell to one of his mangled wings, sprawled uselessly on the damp floor, feathers matted with blood, another clear break made in that one.
"Damn you, Valla," I muttered under my breath. I had to focus on saving what was left of him and keeping him alive going forward until I found the answers I needed. I hated what he would have to endure for this, but what other choices did we have? If I got him out of here, I wouldn’t be coming back.
He was unconscious, a small mercy given his condition. I knew time was of the essence. I didn’t know when Valla would be back. He needed aid and fast.
I Hollowed through the shadows once more, slipping into the kitchens where the air was heavy with the scent of roasted meats and simmering stews from the day's meals. My presence went unnoticed as I let my shadows scan the area, ensuring not a single soul was there to witness me. Satisfied, I moved, snatching up a jug of water and some bread and meats, then vanishing back into the darkness.
I Hollowed to my room. A first-aid kit had been added in the cabinet since Emelyn’s stay here. I retrieved it from the washroom and plunged back into the shadows.
Back in the dungeon, I set everything down with meticulous care, taking a moment to steel myself. Then I unshackled Ace's wrists. His body sagged with the release, a pained groan escaping him as I eased him onto the floor. His instincts kicked in, and he lashed out weakly, expecting Valla to be back.
"Hey, hey, hey, Ace, it's me," I whispered close to his ear.
Recognition flickered in his eyes, confusion and then a sense of relief. With ragged breaths, he stilled, his fight melting away.
"Kade . . . ," he signed as he exhaled a breath.
"Rest now," I urged gently, my fingers already moving to tend to his wounds. As I worked, the image of Emelyn's heartbreak sliced through me again, her anguish driving my every action. This was for her, for us—for the shattered pieces of our bond that I would mend or die trying. But also, I wanted to mend the relationship I had with Ace. I’d felt the love Emelyn had for her brother, and I wanted to share that level of closeness, that camaraderie with him. He deserved that.
I stayed vigilant, my ears straining against the silence, ensuring Valla wasn’t coming back. My shadows curled around me like protective tendrils as I tended to Ace. My hands worked methodically, dabbing at the wounds, the stench of blood, herbs, and antiseptic mingling in the damp air. He watched me through half-lidded eyes, pain etched in every line of his battered face.
"She— She said she wouldn't be back for a few days—to let me heal." Ace’s hands trembled, his lips splitting when he unexpectedly chuckled.
The chuckle died in his throat as I fixed him with a stare, the shadows around us pulsing with my unvoiced anger and concern. My fingers paused, hovering above the mangled mess of his wing.
"What about that is funny to you?" I pressed, voice low, a hint of desperation lacing my words. Had he gone mad? I had seen madness take many forms, twisting minds until reality became an unrecognizable blur. For a moment, I feared that Ace's mind had fractured under the weight of his pain and Valla's torture.
Ace's eyes, clouded with pain, met mine, and there it was—a flicker of lucidity that hadn't been entirely snuffed out. "I didn't think you would come back," he signed.
